Bike Summit 2010

Kelli attended the 2010 Bike Summit in Washington, DC last week and came back brimming with ideas from around the country. A random sampling of thoughts and ideas...

(Kelli on a pedicab on Capitol Hill!)

• Revolution Cycles in DC has added a fourth location that functions as bike share, rentals, service and retail accessories. It was interesting to hear a larger retailer talk about rentals turning more people into cyclists, ultimately helping his business. We would concur!
• Learned a bit about the cycling commuter tax benefit, although more research is in order. Certainly, our employees would qualify...
• Adventure Cycling, an organization we first encountered last year when they came to town to discuss the Underground Railroad Cycling Route they are working on, talked about cycling tourism as a growing industry. This is a concept we are really trying to nudge our Convention & Visitors Bureau to "get." So far, not a whole lotta luck, but we'll keep plugging away.
• Quebec's La Route Verte bicycle route looks amazing. Road trip 2011?
• The Michigan delegation at the summit, which included -- among others -- Todd Scott of Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance, John and Wes from PEAC, John Lindenmeyer from League of Michigan Bicyclists, Rory Neuner from Safe Routes to School and two guys from Copper Harbor that are building an amazing trail system up there in the UP, spent a day meeting with staffers from the offfices of Senators Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow as well as members of Congress. We discussed Complete Streets and other issues near and dear to our hearts, and heard many comments about how much more sophisticated and persuasive the bike lobby has become over the last decade.
• All in all, it was a great experience. Special thanks to the National Bicycle Dealers Association for the new bike shop scholarship that afforded Kelli the trip!

Detroit = Bike Friendly

So it's not Portland, but Detroit's low density and wide streets mean great riding. And now, the Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance is getting the opportunity to prove it to the rest of the world. They've just received a $15,000 grant from REI and Bikes Belong to help earn us a Bike Friendly City designation. Kudos! Kelli just returned from the National Bike Summit in Washington, DC, so she'll be posting a re-cap soon on some exciting initiatives and ideas that were generated on Capitol Hill!

Meanwhile, enjoy this early spring while it's here!

It's the Final Countdown!

The biggest day of the month is surely March 19, when Wheelhouse opens its orange garage door again for the season. We are literally counting down the days, ordering bikes and some new product lines and all that good stuff. Just to put things in perspective, here are some other things to look forward to this month. March 15:  St. Patrick Parade, Corktown. 2 p.m. A raucous day to say the least...in some ways the beginning of Spring! (If you want to see Kelli at her bitchy-bartender best, she'll be slinging drinks at PJ's Lager House. Do not under any circumstances ask her for a martini.)

March 19, 20, 21: We are open! from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. You best come visit!

March 20: Our friends at Detroit Bikes! are having their first group ride of the year. This one is sports-themed and takes off at 10 a.m. from the Millennium Bell at Grand Circus Park.

March 21: The first annual Marche du Nain Rouge.

Slightly less organized than the St. Pat's Parade, expect a bunch of freak flags flying on Cass Ave. Yeah, we'll be there.  3 p.m. at the Third Bar is the meet up.

Click here to see the poster: Marche_8.5x11_color

March 25: Alley Cat, 6 p.m. @ The Hub. Looks like it's to be followed by some bike-oriented films at the Burton Theatre. Sweet!

March 28: Second Annual Colin Hubbell Memorial Fund Event @ The Majestic. A fun afternoon with bowling, an art auction and even cornholing, er, beanbag tossing. Find out more here.

We've started posting our tours at wheelhousedetroit.com/tours, so keep checking and start registering!

We reopen on March 19!

Less than a month from now, Wheelhouse Detroit will be back in action. We reopen on March 19.  Through April, we'll be open Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m., then May through September, we are open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week. We've started uploading tours to our website. We are really excited about this year's roster. We've brought back favorites like Hamtramck, Architecture, Southwest Detroit and Creekside, and are adding some new ones, like Industrial, Civil War and Cycling History, Art Incubators, Galleries, Churches, Urban Agriculture...and lots more. Keep checking www.wheelhousedetroit.com/tours, we are regularly updating the site.

Our tours always include expert information and are led by a tour leaders that is certified by the League of American Bicyclists. We also provide maps and a ride sweeper that is able to care for any mechanical problems or someone that is having trouble keeping up. We ride with a maximum of 15 cyclists to ensure safety.

Miliken State Park is open

According to m-bike, Miliken State Park is finally open to the public. This means that the Riverfront doesn't dead end at Rivard Plaza anymore, but continues east for a bit. There is a trailhead to the Dequindre Cut that is part of the park, but apparently that isn't quite done yet. Any progress is good progress -- although we cannot wait until the day when Bridge to Bridge becomes a reality.

Read more here.

2 Riding Opportunities

What a great November for cycling! Not too windy, not too cold, we've been pretty lucky these last few weeks! We thought we'd share a couple of organized rides coming up. This Saturday, November 14, Detroit Bikes! is hosting their Third Annual Java Junket. Starting Location: Biggby Cafe, 4501 Woodward Ave. just south of Forest Scheduled stops include Cafe 1923 in Hamtramck, Cafe con Leche in Mexicantown, 1515 Broadway Cafe Downtown and Good Girls Go to Paris Crepes in the Park Shelton. The ride starts at 9 a.m. sharp and will conclude at about 1 p.m. Ride length is about 18 miles. The cost is FREE, but riders are encouraged to bring cash to patronize the stops. Bonus: Biggby is offering a free apple cider donut with purchase of a grande beverage before the ride, so get there a bit early.

On Wednesday, November 18, Wayne County is hosting its annual Bike Through the Lights on Hines Drive. It's about a 10-mile ride previewing the great light display that lines Hines for the holidays. It starts at Merriman Hollow, which is off Merriman between Ann Arbor Trail and Warren. Lights and helmets are required. Onsite registration is $20 and includes a long-sleeved t-shirt. There are prizes for decorated bikes. Ride starts at 7 p.m.

So long, farewell...

Many thanks for a wonderful 2009 season. We'll be back in business on March 19, 2010. So stay warm this winter and we'll see you then! Sincerely, Your friends Karen, Kelli, Ron, Lisa, Alex & Raymond at the Wheelhouse

Special Wheelhouse Weekend

With the arrival of November, so comes the end of the Wheelhouse's 2009 season. But there are afew ways to stave off the pain a bit, so join us at one or all of the following:

• Critical Mass, Friday, Oct. 30 @ 6:30 p.m. @ Grand Circus Park.

• Alleycat Race, Friday, Oct. 30 @ 6:30 p.m. @ Hart Plaza.

• End-of-Season Sale, Friday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Save on bikes, tubes, tires, baskets,  racks, lights and bags. Stock up for the winter or buy some holiday gifts now!

• Fare-Thee-Well Soiree,  Sunday, Nov. 1, 5 to 7 p.m. Swing by to take advantage of our sale and enjoy some snacks and brew...and say goodbye for the year!

We hope to see you!

Cycling to celebrate our Underground Railroad history

On Oct. 29 at 5:30 p.m., Adventure Cycling Association along with the Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance and the Michigan Freedom Trail Commission are hosting a meeting about their proposed Underground Railroad Route. There will also be updates on greenways and trails in the Detroit hub and the Freedom Trail Commission’s efforts to designate the Detroit River as an International Heritage Site. The meeting will be held at Historic Second Baptist Church, 441 Monroe Street in Greektown. RSVP to Beth Petersen at 800.755.2453 x 211 or bpetersen@adventurecycling.org.

Extra, Extra...Last Tour of 2009 is here!

This Saturday, October 24, we'll be heading out for a bike tour of Eastern Market at 10 a.m. It's a relatively short ride coupled with a presentation about what is currently happening at the market as well as what is planned...plus a walking tour and a couple of slices of Supino Pizza! All for the low price of $25 per person ($35 with a bike). The bike ride will be led by Wheelhouse co-owner Kelli Kavanaugh and the presentation and walking tour will be led by Randall Fogelman of the Eastern Market Corporation, our community partner for the event.

This tour is especially family-friendly because of the distance of the ride. We'd love to see some trailers out on the Dequindre Cut!

NB: Saturday is also the Harvest Beer Festival at Eastern Market, and we think our tour is a great way to get your market "legs" before quaffing a few Michigan brews! The fest starts at 1 p.m., which is just when our tour will end! You can even stay at the market and ride back to Wheelhouse on your own after you partake in the festivities if you so desire. Bike+pizza+walk+beer sounds like just about a perfect autumn day to us.